Real and virtual identity verification circuit, system thereof and electronic transaction method

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are a real and virtual identity verification circuit, a system thereof and an electronic transaction method. The circuit is capable of being built in or connected with an electronic device to allow a user to carry out electronic identity verification with his or her unique biological characteristic on a remote server. The real and virtual identity verification circuit comprises a memory unit, an acquisition unit, a processing unit and a communication unit. A verification key code is stored by the memory unit. The acquisition unit acquires the biological characteristic and generates a corresponding biological characteristic code. The processing unit processes the verification key code and the biological characteristic code according to a deal process to generate a corresponding unverified code, and the communication unit transmits the unverified code to the server and awaits a verification result of the electronic identity verification.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The current application claims a foreign priority to the patentapplication of Taiwan No. 101114614 filed on Apr. 25, 2012.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a real and virtual identity verificationcircuit, a system comprising the same and an electronic transactionmethod, capable of carrying out electronic identity verification withhigh security in a virtual environment on the Internet through the useof a user's unique biological characteristic in a real environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Recently, with the growing popularity of the virtual environmentestablished by the Internet and its penetration into the realenvironment of consumers, new lifestyles appear rapidly and changepeople's consumption habits. For example, instead of doing shopping in areal store, more and more consumers choose to make online transaction inthe virtual environment, such as a shopping platform built on theInternet.

There are several reasons why virtual stores gradually replace real onesand grasp a substantial share of the market. In contrast to real stores,the virtual environment provides a low-cost sales channel to reduceconsiderable real store costs and personnel costs. In addition, thevirtual environment provides consumers with much more flexibility,allowing them to do shopping anytime and anywhere.

However, the most important issue for consumption in the virtualenvironment is how to determine of consumer's identity in the realenvironment. Apparently, consumer's identity can be confirmed by a realidentity certificate or proof of identity; however, in the virtualenvironment, documents are prone to alteration since they are availableonly in the electronic form. Accordingly, it is desirable to verify theidentity of a consumer in a highly secure way in the virtualenvironment.

To address the above-identified problem, many solutions have beenproposed. For example, consumers may first create an accountrepresenting their identity and a set of password for the account, suchthat they can perform operations in the virtual environment with theaccount and the password, such as performing electronic transaction witha credit card and the account as well as the password. Nevertheless,security may be jeopardized if the account and the password or even thecredit card is hacked. Another approach is to electronically verify anidentity document, which is mostly used by the government agencies. Forexample, a certification IC card is issued upon application by ahousehold registration office according to the applicant's uniqueidentity, and the certification IC card may be used to represent theholder's identity. Although the electronic identity system establishedby the government is authoritative and reliable, the verificationprocess may still be damaged because it uses fixed passwords. Inaddition, in order to maintain its security, the system adopts a closeddesign mostly limited to government purposes and is rarely opened to theprivate sector.

Furthermore, some commodities, such as lottery tickets, are notcurrently suitable for consumption by electronic transaction. Lotterytickets are un-inscribed value-bearing instruments, so the one who holdsa lottery ticket is deemed to be its owner. Thus, the purchase oflottery tickets usually has to be done by consumers in person, makinglottery transaction quite inconvenient.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a real and virtual identityverification circuit, a system comprising the same and an electronictransaction method to address the drawbacks mentioned above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a real and virtual identityverification circuit capable of being built in or connected with anelectronic device to carry out highly secure electronic identityverification of a user with his or her unique biological characteristicon a remote server.

It is another object of this invention to use the above-mentioned realand virtual identity verification circuit, through the generation of abiological characteristic code associated with the unique biologicalcharacteristic of a user by several deal processes, to achieve varioustypes of electronic identity verification.

It is another object of this invention to provide a real and virtualidentity verification system for electronic identity verification, whichis formed by the real and virtual identity verification circuit and theserver.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an electronictransaction method realizing highly secure electronic transaction in thereal environment through the virtual environment based on theverification result of electronic identity verification performed by thereal and virtual identity verification system.

These and other objects are accomplished by a real and virtual identityverification circuit capable of being built in or connected with anelectronic device to allow a user to carry out electronic identityverification with his or her unique biological characteristic on anInternet-based server storing data associated with the biologicalcharacteristic. The real and virtual identity verification circuitcomprises a memory unit, an acquisition unit, a processing unit and acommunication unit. The memory unit has a storage space for storing averification key code. The acquisition unit acquires the biologicalcharacteristic and generates a corresponding biological characteristiccode. The processing unit, which is connected with the memory unit andthe acquisition unit and provided with a deal process, processes theverification key code and the biological characteristic code accordingto the deal process to generate a corresponding unverified code. Thecommunication unit, which is connected with the processing unit,transmits the unverified code to the Internet and awaits a verificationresult of the electronic identity verification associated with theunverified code from the server.

These and other objects are also accomplished by a real and virtualidentity verification system enabling a user to carry out electronicidentity verification with his or her unique biological characteristic.The system comprises an electronic device and a server. The electronicdevice comprises a memory unit, an acquisition unit, a processing unitand a communication unit, wherein the memory unit has a storage spacefor storing a verification key code; the acquisition unit acquires thebiological characteristic and generates a biological characteristic codecorresponding to the biological characteristic; the processing unit isconnected with the memory unit and the acquisition unit and providedwith a deal process, the processing unit processing the verification keycode and the biological characteristic code according to the dealprocess to generate a corresponding unverified code; and thecommunication unit is connected with the processing unit and transmitsthe unverified code to the Internet. The server comprises a databaseunit, a transceiving unit, a verification unit, and a feedback unit,wherein the database unit stores the biological characteristic of theuser; the transceiving unit receives the unverified code; theverification unit is connected with the database unit and thetransceiving unit and adapted for verifying the biologicalcharacteristic and the unverified code to generate a verificationresult; and the feedback unit is connected with the verification unitand adapted for sending the verification result to the electronic devicevia the transceiving unit to complete the verification of the user'sidentity.

These and other objects are further accomplished by an electronictransaction method enabling a user to make an electronic transaction onat least one transaction sub-server connected with a transaction servercontaining an indicated link path of the transaction sub-server afterthe user obtains a verification result of electronic identityverification performed by a real and virtual identity verificationsystem including an electronic device and a server with the use of abiological characteristic, the method comprising (a) connecting theelectronic device to the transaction server to select the indicated linkpath of the transaction sub-server at the transaction server; and (b)using the electronic device to receive the verification result such thatthe transaction server selectively allows the user to make theelectronic transaction, wherein the user is selectively enabled to carryout the electronic transaction on the transaction sub-server directlyvia the transaction server according to the verification result and theindicated link path.

In one embodiment, the electronic transaction is related to electroniclottery, the transaction server is a financial platform, and thetransaction sub-server is a lottery vending machine.

In contrast to prior arts, the real and virtual identity verificationcircuit, the system thereof and the electronic transaction method enablea user to convert his or her biological characteristic into acorresponding biological characteristic code with the use of one of aplurality of deal processes, and the biological characteristic code maybe used by a remote server for performing electronic identityverification of the user. In one aspect, the server is capable ofconfirming the consistency between the biological characteristic codeand the biological characteristic stored in the server, and theverification result is then transmitted back to the real and virtualidentity verification circuit to complete the electronic identityverification of the user. Accordingly, the user can make highly secureelectronic transaction according to the verification result, such asbuying an electronic lottery ticket in a lottery transaction mode.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the subject matter can be derived byreferring to the detailed description and claims when considered inconjunction with the following figures, wherein like reference numbersrefer to similar elements throughout the figures.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of the real and virtual identityverification circuit of one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the real and virtual identityverification system of one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of the electronic transaction methodof one embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of the electronic transaction method ofFIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying figures to improveunderstanding of concepts, features and advantages presented by thepresent invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of the real and virtual identityverification circuit of one embodiment of this invention. The real andvirtual identity verification circuit 10 enables a user 2 to performelectronic identity verification with his or her unique biologicalcharacteristic BC on a server 6 pre-storing data associated with thebiological characteristic BC on the Internet 4. In one embodiment, thebiological characteristic BC may be for example a fingerprint, an irispattern, a palm print, a vein pattern, a sound pattern or a facialpattern of the user 2.

The real and virtual identity verification circuit 10 may be built in orconnected with an electronic device 8. In other words, the real andvirtual identity verification circuit 10 may be either embedded in anelectronic device 8 or connected with an external electronic device 8.The electronic device 8 may be a portable mobile communication device, atablet computer or a stationary personal computer. If the real andvirtual identity verification circuit 10 is used externally from theelectronic device 8, it may be integrated in another electronic productsuch as a flash drive.

In one embodiment, the real and virtual identity verification circuit 10comprises a memory unit 12, an acquisition unit 14, a processing unit 16and a communication unit 18.

The memory unit 12 has a storage space for storing a verification keycode VKC, which is generated by any one of the following procedures:

-   -   1) the verification key code VKC corresponding to the biological        characteristic BC is pre-saved in the memory unit 12;    -   2) the memory unit 12 is provided with the verification key code        VKC which is associated with the electronic device 8, such as        one of a media access control (MAC) address, a subscriber        identity module (SIM) and a password of the electronic device 8        which may be flexibly set by the user;    -   3) the memory unit 12 receives via the communication unit 18 a        variable key code VKC′ generated by a third party server or the        server 6 and forms the verification key code VKC, such that the        variable key code VKC′ allows periodic change of the        verification key code VKC. For example, the variable key code        VKC′ is passively changed within a duration such as        microsecond(s), millisecond(s), second(s), hour(s), day(s),        month(s) or year(s). Alternatively, in an active replacement        mode, the real and virtual identity verification circuit 10 may        retrieve the variable key code VKC′ from the third party server        or the server 6 only when the user 2 proceeds electronic        identity verification; and    -   4) the verification key code VKC is formed from the biological        characteristic BC obtained by the acquisition unit 14 and is        saved in the memory unit 12. As such, the user 2 is allowed to        flexibly establish the verification key code VKC associated with        the biological characteristic BC for the purpose of electronic        identity verification.

The acquisition unit 14 is configured to acquire the biologicalcharacteristic BC and generate a biological characteristic code BCCcorresponding to the biological characteristic BC. In one embodiment,the acquisition unit 14, such as a camera or a fingerprint recognitiondevice, is configured to acquire, among others, a fingerprint, an irispattern, a palm print, a vein pattern, a sound pattern or a facialpattern.

The processing unit 16 is connected with the memory unit 12 and theacquisition unit 14 and provided with a deal process DP, such that theprocessing unit 16 processes the verification key code VKC and thebiological characteristic code BCC to generate a correspondingunverified code UVC. In one embodiment, the deal process DP isconfigured for any one of the following purposes:

-   -   1) the deal process DP compares the biological characteristic        code BCC with the verification key code VKC to determine whether        to generate the unverified code UVC;    -   2) the deal process DP encodes the biological characteristic        code BCC and the verification key code VKC to generate the        unverified code UVC corresponding to or including the biological        characteristic code BCC and the verification key code VKC; and    -   3) the deal process DP selects the biological characteristic        code BCC or the verification key code VKC to generate the        unverified code UVC.

The communication unit 18 is connected with the processing unit 16 fortransmitting the unverified code UVC to the Internet 4 and awaiting averification result VR of the electronic identity verificationassociated with the unverified code UVC from the server 6. In oneembodiment, the communication unit 18 transmits the unverified code UVCvia wired or wireless communication, and the communication unit 18 is incompliance with a communication protocol of BLUETOOTH, fixed networkcommunication, mobile communication, or WI-FI.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the real and virtual identityverification system of one embodiment of this invention. The real andvirtual identity verification system 20 enables the user 2 to carry outelectronic identity verification with his or her unique biologicalcharacteristic BC. In this embodiment, the real and virtual identityverification system 20 comprises an electronic device 22 and a server24.

As mentioned in the previous embodiment, the electronic device 22 isbuilt in with the real and virtual identity verification circuit 10comprising the memory unit 12, the acquisition unit 14, the processingunit 16 and the communication unit 18.

The server 24 comprises a database unit 242, a transceiving unit 244, averification unit 246 and a feedback unit 248.

The database unit 242 is configured for storing the biologicalcharacteristic BC of the user 2, which may be acquired in advance andsaved in the database unit 242 to complete the registration of thebiological characteristic BC therein. In one embodiment, the databaseunit 242 is configured for storing the biological characteristic BC as afingerprint, an iris pattern, a palm print, a vein pattern, a soundpattern or a facial pattern.

The transceiving unit 244 is configured for receiving the unverifiedcode UVC.

The verification unit 246 is connected with the database unit 242 andthe transceiving unit 244 and configured for verifying, such as bycomparison, the biological characteristic BC and the unverified code UVCand determining whether the unverified code UVC matches the biologicalcharacteristic BC pre-saved in the database unit 242 to generate theverification result VR indicating the verification outcome such asmatched, not matched or determination failure.

The feedback unit 248 is connected with the verification unit 246 andconfigured for sending the verification result VR to the electronicdevice 22 to complete the verification of the user's identity.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate respectively a block diagram and a flowchart ofthe electronic transaction method of one embodiment of this invention.In the architecture illustration of FIG. 3, the electronic transactionmethod enables the user 2 to make an electronic transaction on at leastone transaction sub-server 28 (e.g. a shopping website or a lotteryvending machine) connected with a transaction server 26 (e.g. a bankserver or a cash flow platform) containing an indicated link path ILP ofthe transaction sub-server 28 after the user 2 obtains a verificationresult VR of electronic identity verification performed by a real andvirtual identity verification system including the electronic device 8and the server 24 with the use of a biological characteristic.

In FIG. 4, the electronic transaction method begins with the step S41for connecting the electronic device 8 to the transaction server 26 toselect the indicated link path ILP of the transaction sub-server 28 atthe transaction server 26.

Next, the step S42 comprises using the electronic device 8 to receivethe verification result VR of the user 2 such that the transactionserver 26 selectively allows the user 2 to carry out the electronictransaction, by which the user 2 is selectively enabled to make theelectronic transaction on the transaction sub-server 28 directly via thetransaction server 26 according to the verification result VR and theindicated link path ILP.

In one embodiment, the transaction server 26 provides the electronicdevice 8 with the geographical location of a transaction sub-server 28in proximity to the electronic device 8 according to one of thegeographical location of the electronic device 8 and the informationrelated to the user 2.

In another embodiment, the electronic transaction is related toelectronic lottery, the transaction server 26 is a financial platform,and the transaction sub-server 28 is a lottery vending machine.

Under the electronic transaction mode of electronic lottery, after theuser 2 makes the electronic transaction on the lottery vending machine,the lottery vending machine produces a paper-based lottery ticketbearing lottery information, such as the number(s) chosen by the user 2.

In addition, the lottery information of the paper-based lottery ticketis then transmitted back to the electronic device 8 to solely allow theuser 2 with the biological characteristic BC to virtually possess thepaper-based lottery ticket.

In another embodiment, the transaction sub-server 28 preserves thepaper-based lottery ticket and associates the biological characteristicBC of the user 2 with the paper-based lottery ticket to solely allow theuser 2 with the biological characteristic BC to acquire the paper-basedlottery ticket.

In addition, the user 2 is allowed to retrieve the paper-based lotteryticket from the lottery vending machine with the biologicalcharacteristic BC.

The real and virtual identity verification circuit, the system thereofand the electronic transaction method enable a user to convert his orher biological characteristic into a corresponding biologicalcharacteristic code with the use of one of a plurality of dealprocesses, and the biological characteristic code may be used by aremote server for performing electronic identity verification of theuser. In one aspect, the server is capable of confirming the consistencybetween the biological characteristic code and the biologicalcharacteristic stored in the server, and the verification result is thentransmitted back to the real and virtual identity verification circuitto complete the electronic identity verification of the user.Accordingly, the user can make highly secure electronic transactionaccording to the verification result, such as buying an electroniclottery ticket in a lottery transaction mode.

While these descriptions directly describe the above embodiments, it isunderstood that those skilled in the art may conceive modificationsand/or variations to the specific embodiments shown and describedherein. However, any such modifications or variations that fall withinthe scope of this description are intended to be included therein aswell.

What is claimed is:
 1. A real and virtual identity verification circuitcapable of being built in or connected with an electronic device toallow a user to carry out electronic identity verification with his orher unique biological characteristic on an Internet-based server storingdata associated with the biological characteristic, the real and virtualidentity verification circuit comprising: a memory unit having a storagespace for storing a verification key code; an acquisition unit foracquiring the biological characteristic and generating a biologicalcharacteristic code corresponding to the biological characteristic; aprocessing unit connected with the memory unit and the acquisition unitand provided with a deal process, the processing unit processing theverification key code and the biological characteristic code accordingto the deal process to generate a corresponding unverified code; and acommunication unit connected with the processing unit, transmitting theunverified code to the Internet, and receiving a verification result ofthe electronic identity verification associated with the unverified codefrom the server.
 2. The real and virtual identity verification circuitof claim 1, wherein the memory unit is adapted for pre-storing theverification key code associated with the biological characteristic. 3.The real and virtual identity verification circuit of claim 2, whereinthe processing unit compares the biological characteristic code with theverification key code according to the deal process to determine whetherto generate the unverified code.
 4. The real and virtual identityverification circuit of claim 1, wherein the verification key code inthe memory unit is associated with the electronic device such that theprocessing unit encodes the biological characteristic code and theverification key code according to the deal process to generate theunverified code corresponding to the biological characteristic code andthe verification key code.
 5. The real and virtual identity verificationcircuit of claim 4, wherein the verification key code is derived from atleast one of a media access control address, a subscriber identitymodule and a password set by the user of the electronic device.
 6. Thereal and virtual identity verification circuit of claim 1, wherein thecommunication unit is connected with the memory unit such that thecommunication unit receives a variable key code for storage in thememory unit to form the verification key code in the memory unit.
 7. Thereal and virtual identity verification circuit of claim 6, wherein theprocessing unit encodes the biological characteristic code and theverification key code according to the deal process to generate theunverified code containing the biological characteristic code and theverification key code.
 8. The real and virtual identity verificationcircuit of claim 1, wherein the processing unit directly stores thebiological characteristic code generated by the acquisition unit in thememory unit to form the verification key code.
 9. The real and virtualidentity verification circuit of claim 8, wherein the processing unitselects one of the biological characteristic code and the verificationkey code according to the deal process to generate the unverified code.10. The real and virtual identity verification circuit of claim 1,wherein the biological characteristic is at least one of a fingerprint,an iris pattern, a palm print, a vein pattern, a sound pattern and afacial pattern.
 11. The real and virtual identity verification circuitof claim 1, wherein the communication unit transmits the unverified codevia wired or wireless communication.
 12. The real and virtual identityverification circuit of claim 1, wherein the communication unit is incompliance with a communication protocol of BLUETOOTH, fixed networkcommunication, mobile communication, or WI-FI.
 13. A real and virtualidentity verification system enabling a user to carry out electronicidentity verification with his or her unique biological characteristic,comprising: an electronic device comprising: a memory unit having astorage space for storing a verification key code; an acquisition unitfor acquiring the biological characteristic and generating a biologicalcharacteristic code corresponding to the biological characteristic; aprocessing unit connected with the memory unit and the acquisition unitand provided with a deal process, the processing unit processing theverification key code and the biological characteristic code accordingto the deal process to generate a corresponding unverified code; and acommunication unit connected with the processing unit and transmittingthe unverified code to the Internet; and a server comprising a databaseunit for storing the biological characteristic of the user; atransceiving unit for receiving the unverified code; a verification unitconnected with the database unit and the transceiving unit and verifyingthe biological characteristic and the unverified code to generate averification result; and a feedback unit connected with the verificationunit and sending the verification result to the electronic device viathe transceiving unit to achieve verification of the user's identity.14. The real and virtual identity verification system of claim 13,wherein the transceiving unit is in compliance with a communicationprotocol of BLUETOOTH, fixed network communication, mobilecommunication, or WI-FI.
 15. The real and virtual identity verificationsystem of claim 13, wherein the biological characteristic stored in thedatabase unit is at least one of a fingerprint, an iris pattern, a palmprint, a vein pattern, a sound pattern and a facial pattern.
 16. Anelectronic transaction method enabling a user to carry out an electronictransaction on at least one transaction sub-server connected with atransaction server containing an indicated link path of the transactionsub-server after the user obtains a verification result of electronicidentity verification performed by a real and virtual identityverification system including an electronic device and a server with theuse of a biological characteristic, the method comprising: connectingthe electronic device to the transaction server to select the indicatedlink path of the transaction sub-server at the transaction server; andusing the electronic device to receive the verification result such thatthe transaction server selectively allows the user to carry out theelectronic transaction, wherein the user is selectively enabled to carryout the electronic transaction on the transaction sub-server directlyvia the transaction server according to the verification result and theindicated link path.
 17. The electronic transaction method of claim 16,further comprising enabling the transaction server to provide theelectronic device with the geographical location of the transactionsub-server in proximity to the electronic device according to one of thegeographical location of the electronic device and information relatedto the user.
 18. The electronic transaction method of claim 16, whereinthe electronic transaction is related to electronic lottery, thetransaction server is a financial platform, and the transactionsub-server is a lottery vending machine.
 19. The electronic transactionmethod of claim 18, further comprising, after completion of theelectronic transaction of electronic lottery, using the lottery vendingmachine to produce a paper-based lottery ticket bearing lotteryinformation according to the electronic transaction.
 20. The electronictransaction method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting thelottery information of the paper-based lottery ticket to the electronicdevice to solely allow the user with the biological characteristic tovirtually possess the paper-based lottery ticket.
 21. The electronictransaction method of claim 19, further comprising preserving thepaper-based lottery ticket and associating the biological characteristicwith the paper-based lottery ticket to solely allow the user with thebiological characteristic to acquire the paper-based lottery ticket. 22.The electronic transaction method of claim 20, further comprisingallowing the user to retrieve the paper-based lottery ticket from thelottery vending machine with the biological characteristic.